Louis d'Elbee

Louis d'Elbee (21 March 1752 - 6 January 1794) was a military leader for French Royalists. He was ardent about the French Revolution in the beginning but changed his mind because of Civil Constitution of the Clergy. He was one of the Commanders in Chief for the Catholic and Royal Armies.

Biography
Louis d'Elbee was born in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony. He moved to France in 1777 and became a naturalized citizen. He also joined the French Royal Army and reached the rank of lieutenant before resigning in 1783. He had a retired country life near Beaupréau. He later served as an officer in Frederick Augustus I's army. He had successes fighting against what the peasants and the middle class of Vendee considered an atheist republic. After insurgents' victory, he asked his men to recite Our Father instead of killing republican prisoners. In 1793, he was the top deputy of Jacques Cathelineau. Louis d'Elbee became the Chief General for Catholic and Royal Armies after Jacques Cathelineau 's death. He led the army to numerous victories. Even though he lost the Battle of Lucon, he saved his troops from danger. He was badly injured after the Battle of Cholet. Many of the defeats prior to the that battle was inflicted by Jean-Baptiste Kléber. He was publicly executed after losing control of the Island of Noirmoutier, his wife Marguerite Charlotte Holly Hauterive was shot twenty days after his death.